Aftermath
by Espana-FTW
Summary: Nine months after the series finale. Will Patsy be able to move on?
1. Chapter 1

It's been nine months. Nine months of agony and hatred. Hatred at that stupid watch for breaking, hatred at that stupid car for hitting her, hatred at herself for letting her take her bike. A few hours of her moaning about being late for work is a better scenario than the one playing its tune.

Delia.

Even the mention of her name breaks her heart. Patsy doesn't think of the flat, the curves of her smile, the soft touch of her lips or the feeling she got whenever Delia placed her hands on her. Instead she thinks of the emptiness in Delia's eyes when she looked at her in the hospital. The eyes that used to shine with happiness and mischief were gone.

Another person retched from Patsy from the horrible mistress that is circumstance. First her father, then her mother and sister and now Delia. Why can't fate just let her be happy?

That's all she thinks about when she rides home from a delivery. 'Make sure you look both ways when crossing a street and keep concentrated at all times, we don't need one of our own in a bed in The London.' Sister Evangelina had told them no more than three days after the accident. If she had knows how much Delia actually meant to Patsy, she wouldn't have been so blunt. Or maybe she would, she isn't the most compassionate person at Nonnatus. Thankfully at the time the phone had rang and Patsy all but ran towards it.

It never got easier for Patsy, she had met the love of her life and lost her. Patsy was too cautious to try and find anyone in the first place, Delia had made the first move. Slightly drunk coming back from dancing the night away with young doctors, they sat up talking about how uninterested in men the both were.

"Not my type, if I'm honest." Delia had said through giggles.

"I know how you feel. Poor lads, they were really trying too!" Patsy had laughed, "out of curiosity, what is your type?"

"Quite specific." Delia had looked down at her hands, the smile gone.

Was it the alcohol that moved Patsy's hand to Delia's chin? If it was, she was eternally grateful. Eyes are mysterious things. They can give away nearly any emotion that the bearer feels. Patsy was so used to hiding nearly every emotion she had, but Delia could see right through her and for that she was both scared and happy. Scared just incase Delia could see the glint of attraction Patsy had held for her and happy just incase she saw it and reciprocated it.

That's when Delia lent in.

Patsy loved reciting that to herself, but now it's just a painful memory.

"Watch out!" A voice had called that snapped Patsy out of her daydream, but it was too late and she had knocked the bystander off her feet and went over the handlebars of her own bike, falling on top of the woman.

"I'm so sorry!" Patsy said to the woman. She rolled off her, but didn't get up.

The woman turned her head towards Patsy and smiled, "don't worry about it, I will, however, need a hand to get up, I can barely walk in this dress and I didn't plan on being on the floor so quickly into the night."

Patsy laughed and got to her feet, pulling up the woman, taking the small time to drink in the woman's appearance. Distinctive Manchester accent, blonde hair, blue eyes. Quite pretty really.

"Your head." She pointed to Patsy's eyebrow, and Patsy's hand followed. Blood. She doesn't even remember hitting her head.

"It's fine, I'm a nurse, I'll patch myself up when I get back to Nonnatus." Patsy waved the woman off and got back behind the handle bars of her bike.

The woman stepped in front of her, stopping her. "You really shouldn't go back on your own, what if something bad happens?"

"Here's hoping!" Patsy smiled.

"I'm walking you back, my dress is the reason why you're bleeding and it'll feel guilty if you didn't make it back."

"How thoughtful."

"I'm Kimberley, Kimberley Scott." She smiled.

"Patience Mount. But my friends call me Patsy."

"Lead the way to Nonnatus, Patience." Kimberley smiled.

A few weeks later had seen Patsy and Kimberley grow closer. It was nice having a friend outside Nonnatus, Trixie and Barbara had also become good friends with Kimberley.

Despite them all bonding, no one really knew anything about Kimberley. Patsy wondered about her. What if she was like her? She couldn't replace Delia, no matter how much Patsy wanted her to. She wanted the pain in her chest to stop, ten months now and it still hurts.

Kimberley had invited Patsy for coffee in a local café, the only one closest was the one she frequented with Delia.

She was sat in their usual seats for ten minutes before Kimberley arrived.

"Hello, Pats." She smiled. Pats? Delia used to call me that.

"Hello." She smiled back, politely.

Kimberley sat down in what was Delia's seat, "it came to my attention that I haven't really told you much about me."

Patsy smiled, "besides that you're name is Kimberley and you're 24, no, I don't know anything about you."

"Well, I thought I'd tell you everything." Kimberley leaned forward, "I wanted to make sure of who you were before I told you anything, just on the off chance that you weren't who I thought you were."

Patsy looked at her, utterly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm originally from Manchester, hence the accent, but moved a few years ago to be closer to my family. There was an accident involving my cousin, car collision with a bike." Patsy's eyes widened, "she suffered serious head trauma which lead to her losing her memory."

"Delia." Patsy whispered, her hands going to her mouth.

"She was bedridden for three months. We shared a room, you see, so I helped her with anything during the night. One night in particular, she woke me up, well, she threw a book at my head-" Patsy laughed slightly as tears slowly escaped her eyes, "it really hurt, actually. But she wanted to get out of the house and walk around, so we snook out. It was the best thing for her, she started to remember things, bit by bit. She remembered the playground where she used to play football with the boys and beat them every time, she remembered the tree she once fell out of and cut open her knee, she even remembered me."

Both Kimberley and Patsy were crying now, Patsy wanted her to continue and wanted her to stop. What if Delia remembered her, but didn't feel the same again?

"Keep going." Patsy gasped.

"One day we went for a walk and we saw a young boy with bright red hair and she followed him for about ten minutes, his mother wasn't best pleased, but I pulled her away before she could say anything. I sat her on a park bench and she grabbed my head and said, 'Patsy.'"

"Did she?" Patsy looked at her sweaty hands before wiping her eyes with a napkin.

"Yes. She started to remember small bits about this 'Patsy' character. Fierce red lips to go with her hair, dimples you could live in and a slight smell of bleach. That's all I had to work with. I've been in London for two months looking for you to tell you that she remembers you. She remembers your smile and the way it makes her feel, she remembers the late night dancing in her room, she remembers your first kiss and your last and most importantly she remembers your flat."

"She remembers all that?" Patsy was overjoyed and shaking. Delia. Her dear sweet Delia.

"She said, 'tell her she mustn't get rid of the flat! That was our dream.' I can probably imagine you haven't still got the flat."

"No, I couldn't bear to stay in that place without her." Patsy weeped.

"Does that mean we have to go flat hunting again?" A Welsh voice floated through the door.

Patsy froze. No, it couldn't be. The owner of the voice walked towards them and placed their hands on her shoulders. Slowly Patsy turned around and saw Delia's smiling face.

"Delia." She whispered, standing up slowly and taking her in.

"Alright, Pats?" Her smile widened and she suddenly had Patsy's arms wrapped around her and her wet face in her neck.

"I love you, Deels." She chocked out.

"I love you too, Pats." Delia pulled back from their embrace, "anyway, now we have to go flat hunting again."


	2. Chapter 2

Patsy refused to let go of Delia's hand and for once she didn't care what anyone else thought. Losing Delia for nearly a year after making her her world has made her have a vice grip on Delia's hand. She occasionally squeezed it just to make sure that she's really there, that it's not just a dream, it'll be just her luck that Delia will suddenly vanish leaving Patsy alone. But she didn't, in fact, she squeezed back and gave the biggest smile Patsy has ever seen.

They sat in silence until Kimberley decided to speak up.

"Right well, I have a hot date with a sailor, so instead of staring lovingly into each others eyes, I have a few things I need to discuss with you, Patsy, because Delia is a stubborn fool."

Patsy broke her gaze with Delia to look at Kimberley, "yes, of course."

"Okay, so, she gets these seizers when she panics, and they are quite frequent-"

Delia cut in, "I haven't had one for a while, it's nothing to worry about."

"If you haven't had one for a while then you are definitely overdue one, she needs to take these," Kimberley places a box on the table, "when the seizer starts, then she just needs you to cuddle her and sooth her until she calms down."

Patsy reached across with her free hand and picked up the box and placed it carefully into her coat pocket. "I'll make sure she takes them."

"Her memory hasn't quite come back completely, but she will need you to fill in the voids."

"Voids?"

"Yes, mainly people and things she likes, they help her memory, some of the things she likes are exclusive to London, so I couldn't help."

"Right, well one thing you don't like is cake." Patsy laughed.

Delia gasped in recognition, "that man!"

Kimberley smiled towards the two girls and stood up, "on that note, I'll be off, that sailor won't wait around for me, not if he has another floozie falling all over him."

Patsy stood up with her and walked around the table, "thank you," she grabbed her hand and cupped her face, "thank you so much for this. I can't begin to tell you how much this means to me and I don't think I'll be able to ever return the favour."

"The only way you have to make it worth the trip is to take care of her. She's my favourite cousin-"

Delia cut in, "I'm your only cousin."

"Point still stands. But she was my best friend for twelve years before she moved to London. So take care of her."

Patsy felt water flood her eyes again before pouring onto her cheeks. "I will." She whispered.

Patsy dropped her hands and Kimberley waved at them as she left. She held out her hand for Delia, "come on, maybe Sister Julienne will let you stay at Nonnatus."

"Nonnatus?" Delia said, confusion etched on her face.

Patsy panicked slightly, "yes, where I work and live, as a midwife."

"Oh, of course." Delia still seemed confused, "we're going to live there?" She asked.

"Only temporarily. Then we go flat hunting." That seemed to click in Delia's head and they both smiled at each other, "come on Deels, there are a few upset midwives and nuns waiting for us."

The walk back was made purposely slow, Patsy wanted a few more minutes alone with Delia before she shared her with the rest of the group at Nonnatus. Instead of hand holding, Patsy settled for interlocking their arms, as she's seen many women do and not bat an eyelid.

Every so often she bit her tongue, 'yes, not a dream.' She'd recite to herself. She stopped them just before the bridge, she'd spent the entire walk thinking about Delia that she never thought of what to tell everyone at Nonnatus. Several different scenarios ran through her mind all of them ending with 'Delia loves me and I love her'. 'I'll just have to wing it.' She thought to herself.

"Pats, what are we going to tell them?" Delia asked, she must have been thinking the same thing.

"I don't know, Deels. Maybe you could say that once you got over the initial injuries you just wanted to come back and continue nursing." Patsy suggested as they continued walking.

"I think I'll say I bumped my head and God sent me a ginger lad to remind me of the most beautiful thing God has ever created." Delia turned towards Patsy at the door.

Patsy reached for the door handle, "I wish you could say that, but they might not let you stay if you do."

"Worth a try." Delia giggled. Patsy had so missed her giggle, it made the sun shine on a rainy day and it was enough to help heal her heart.

"Ready?" Patsy asked.

"Ready."

The women of Nonnatus made a great fuss of Delia's return, bringing out cake and elated conversation to the table. The night was all about her and Patsy couldn't be happier. Barbara and Nurse Crane chatted happily to her for most of the evening, Sister Evangelina was called away as another woman had gone into labour. Sister Julienne and Sister Winifred refilled the cups of tea whilst Trixie grabbed Patsy's hand and dragged her towards their shared bedroom.

"Is this a kidnapping?" Patsy laughed. Trixie didn't laugh, however she looked slightly annoyed. "Trixie?"

"You act completely miserable for months, nothing at all cheered you up, not even when that rather dashing man asked for your phone number," Trixie began, "yet as soon as Delia is back you couldn't even attempt to wipe the smile off your face. In fact, the only thing that would take that off is if Sister Monica Joan had imagined her as cake and started to devour her."

Patsy started to panic, she's used to thinking on her feet, but she's so tired of denying her love of Delia.

"Trixie, I don't know what you mean, she's my best friend, I've known her for a while, I apologise if her good health makes me happy." Patsy walked towards the door, only to be stopped.

"Right, if you're not going to be truthful then I'm going to do this," Trixie turned around, locked the door and placed the key down her top, "we're going to sit here until you tell me the truth, I've known you for nearly three years, I think I deserve the truth."

Patsy sat down on her bed, what was Trixie hinting at? Does she know? She's certain she's been good at hiding her affection towards Delia.

"What do you want to hear?" She asked.

"I want to know the truth."

"What if you can't handle the truth, what if the truth ruins everything, what if you hate me after knowing the truth?" Patsy averted her eyes.

"I can handle it. I've wanted to ask this since I first met Delia. Your eyes do this thing when she's around or even when her name is mentioned." Trixie trailed off, waiting for Patsy to come clean.

"What do you want me to say? That I love her? That I've waited my entire life to find someone that feels the same way I do? That when she looked at me in that hospital bed and asked who I was I felt like she had actually died? What do you want from me, Trixie?" Patsy stood up, slightly outraged.

"Yes. I want you to tell me all those things. I want you to sit up all night with me and giggle over silly things she does or giggle over her strange eating habits. You did it with me, I should have done it with you!" Trixie also stood up. Patsy refused to cry again, not now, Trixie will not see her cry.

"I love her. I am in love with her. I want to shout it from Big Ben and I want to sing her love songs in public but I can't. I can't and you have no idea how much it hurts. You don't know how it feels to not even be able to look at her for more than three seconds because you're scared that someone will catch on. You don't know how it feels to be segregated because of something you can't help. And to have to hide it because other people don't like it." Patsy stopped and tried to calm herself down when Trixie enveloped her in a hug.

"Thank you," Trixie whispered into Patsy's neck, "thank you for telling me." She pulled back and kissed her cheek, "now, let's return to the party."

A couple of hours later and two more labours the midwives and nuns dispersed. Trixie and Sister Winifred went to the calls of the two women which left Sister Mary Cynthia and Delia chatting at the table and Sister Julienne walked back into her study. Patsy followed her.

"Come in." She had called once Patsy knocked on the door, "Nurse Mount, come, sit." She smiled. She was such a loving woman, always happy to help, always kind hearted.

"Hello, Sister. I was wondering if I could ask for a favour?" Patsy sat down, mirroring Sister Julienne's smile.

"Of course, Nurse Mount."

"Delia doesn't have a place to stay, she's only just come back, we're both looking for flats again but for the time being-" Patsy rambled on quickly, Sister Julienne had to concentrate hard just to hear her but she cut her off with a reassuring smile.

"Of course she can stay. There's a spare room down the hall from yours where she can sleep, does she have to be looked after?"

"Yes, just in case she has a seizure."

"Well, it's settled. You both will stay in that room until you move out, but now both of you are part of Nonnatus, we expect you both to come each day for lunch regardless of if you're staying here or not." She smiled, such a genuine smile for such a genuine woman. She was an inspiration for all.

"Thank you, Sister Julienne." Patsy got up and made her way to leave before flashing an award winning smile and making her way to the dining room.

It's been a funny sort of day in the life of Patience Mount. It's been on the up and up and she's scared that the next day won't be as good but the fact that she'll be waking up next to Delia means that there's hope. Hope. Hope was the only thing keeping Patsy sane, keeping her from the dark voices threatening to take over. She owes a lot to hope.

After another good couple of hours everyone had retired to bed. Patsy led the way to their new bedroom and opened the door for both of them.

"Wait." Patsy said before Delia made her way inside.

"What?" Delia asked, confused.

Patsy looked around the corridor to make sure no one could see, "come here, let me just," placing one arm on Delia's back and hunching over slightly before placing the other arm under Delia's legs, "I've always wanted to do this." She giggled before hoisting Delia up and carrying her, bridal style, through the doorway before placing her on one of the beds.

"Close the door." Delia instructed and Patsy obliged. "Come here." Once again Patsy did as she was told and lay next to Delia. "I love you."

"I love you too." Patsy whispered before leaning across and kissing Delia's lips.


	3. Chapter 3

Patsy woke long before Delia, she stared at the back of her head before the need to use the toilet became great. On the way back she overheard small sobs from the room she shared with Trixie. With curiosity getting the better of her, she slowly opened the door to see Trixie sat on the edge of her bed, head in hands.

"Trixie?" Patsy sat beside her and rubbed her back, "what's wrong?"

Trixie lifted her head slightly and stared forwards, "nothing, it's just, last night when I delivered Mrs Pattinson's little boy, her husband offered me a small glass of scotch and I just stared at it before running as fast as I could out of their house. I left everything in that house, I need to get it back but I can't face going back there."

Trixie's head went straight back into her hands as small sobs wracked her body again. Patsy sighed and placed her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

After the sobs subsided Patsy began to speak, "tell you what, if you keep an eye on Delia for an hour, I'll go get your stuff."

Trixie looked up, smiling sadly, "thank you, Patsy."

"You're welcome, take these," Patsy passed her Delia's medicine from her drawer, "make sure she takes one before she has something to eat, now get yourself dressed."

The ride to Mrs Pattinson's house was a short and pleasant one. For the first time in God knows how long the sun seemed to shine and the birds seemed to find their voices and sing.

Poor Trixie. A year sober after having a breakdown. Everything went downhill for her after her engagement to Tom ended, her need to turn to alcoholic beverages and being so drunk she passed out whilst being on call. For the past three months the shaking from withdrawal had finally ended and it looked like all rainbows and sunshine in the life of Trixie Franklin until temptation reared its ugly head.

Patsy had arrived at the Pattinson residence and knocked loudly on the door. A smiling Mr Pattinson answered with his newborn boy in his arms.

"Good morning, midwife calling." Patsy beamed looking at the small baby.

"Hello, nurse, come in." Mr Pattinson stepped aside and Patsy made her way into the house. The house had a lovely cream pattern that seemed to envelope the whole house.

"Beautiful house." Patsy said whilst walking into the kitchen where Mrs Pattinson was sat.

She smiled up at Patsy, "thank you. What ever happened to the other nurse?"

"I'm not too sure, I'm just here to collect the stuff she left behind."

"It's all over there," Mrs Pattinson pointed towards the bag next to the sink, "I think everything is in there."

Patsy made her way towards the bag and checked it over, "yes, everything is here. Don't forget to make your way to the clinic tomorrow to see how this little one is doing."

The couple smiled at their newborn proudly, "William Pattinson," his father said, "isn't it amazing when you think, 'I made this' especially considering I can't even make a cup of tea."

The three of them had a small chuckle before Patsy headed out again and cycled straight back to Nonnatus.

The fact that she's going straight back to Delia is making her cheeks ache with the smiling. Trixie would make sure that she had something to eat and a bath, she hopes. She still has to tell herself that Delia is back and she remembers her. She's had many sleepless nights thinking about her, holding down sobs and hoping Trixie doesn't hear her.

But now it's over. Finally over. She can run off into the sunset with Delia, holding hands and not ever letting go. The thought of it made Patsy smile even harder and as she approached Nonnatus she let herself think of the future, a future no one could take away from her.

Placing her bike in the bike rack, she grabbed Trixie's bag and made her way into Nonnatus House where she was stopped by a panicking and slightly out of breath Barbara.

"Patsy, something's happened." She said, grabbing Patsy's hand and pulling her towards the bedrooms, "it's Delia, I don't know what's wrong, Trixie has called for the doctor."

As soon as Patsy heard 'Delia' she out ran Barbara and burst through her bedroom door to find Trixie staring over a violently shaking Delia.

"Patsy," Trixie whispered, "what do we do?"

"Did you not give her her medicine? I told you to give it her," Patsy grabbed the pillows off of her bed and placed it under Delia's head, "we can't move her, we can't touch her, we'll just have to wait for the doctor. How long has she been like this?"

"Not long," Trixie started, tears pouring down her cheeks, "just before you got here, I tried to give it her but she wouldn't take it, she said she was fine, she didn't need it, but I tried to talk her into it and she still wasn't having it. I couldn't force her, Patsy."

Patsy felt her blood boil. That fool. That idiot. That stubborn little ball of Welsh delight. She knew she shouldn't have left Delia with someone she doesn't remember. Someone she doesn't trust. And now? Well now she's having a seizure and there's nothing Patsy can do but wait until it's over.

Patsy sat beside her and stroked her hair whilst murmuring softly to her. "You're safe." "You're okay." And "Come on, Deels, fight it." Were the only audible things Barbara and Trixie heard.

The arm and leg action slowly came to a halt just as Doctor Turner came. He didn't do much. There's nothing much he could have done anyway.

"She may feel a headache coming along or she may feel extremely tired," he began, "if she does, the best thing for her is sleep. Most seizure victims sleep for approximately several hours and she will need someone to sit with her and make sure there's nothing wrong with her breathing. If there is, you need to call an ambulance immediately."

Patsy smiled up at him from the bed and Trixie stepped forward, "I will," she looked in Patsy's direction, "it's my day off, I have more than several hours spare, I'll sit with her."

"She needs me," Patsy looked at Delia's blank face, "it has to be me."

Trixie took Patsy's hand, "no, you have to work, it'll be okay, we'll be fine."

Patsy contemplated it for a few seconds before agreeing, "well, alright, but she doesn't remember you, which is probably why she didn't have her medicine, come here." Patsy took Trixie to the side so Delia could see her, "Deels, this is Trixie, you don't remember her, but she's a trusted friend of mine, she'll be looking after you for tonight whilst I work."

Delia smiled, "Okay, Pats. My head hurts, is that normal?"

Patsy sunk to her knees and flashed Delia a reassuring smile, "it is, just try and get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay." Delia smiled back before closing her eyes.

Patsy got up and grabbed Trixie's hand, "I need to talk to you."

They went into their old shared room and Closed the door, "listen, Trixie, I'm trusting you completely with her, please don't let me down, I nearly lost her once, I couldn't handle it again."

"You have nothing to worry about, I'll stay with her all night. I'll even place two chamber pots in there so I have no excuse to leave." Trixie smiled.

The next couple of days went by smoothly. Delia didn't have any more seizures and she started to remember some of the nuns, Sister Monica Joan in particular because of her love of cake. She had regained her job at The London and had found her and Patsy a new flat, just around the corner of Nonnatus House.

Her and Patsy's first night together was accompanied by fine wine and soft music. They danced together, laughed together and gazed at one another. If it was socially allowed for them to be open about their love, they'd be the couple everyone was envious of, the one they'd smile at when they saw them on the street. They were so in love, how could anyone denounce this?

They were able to hide their love from the prying eyes of Poplar, the only two people who knew were the people who both trusted with their lives. Kimberley brought them together and Trixie... Well, Trixie's Trixie. The woman who stood up for Mr Amos when Patsy wouldn't. The woman that stopped a man from losing his job and his freedom. Trixie was like a little gift, a friend that everyone needed.

She was sure Sister Julienne had caught on, but she didn't ask questions and Patsy wasn't going to give her the chance to.

Waking up in Delia's arms is something Patsy had only been able to imagine. Even when she went to the nursing home, Delia kept her hands to herself, just in case someone came in. But with no worries of anyone suddenly bursting through the door, she turned around so she was face to face with a smiling little Welsh bubble.

"Good morning, beautiful." Delia smiled, kissing Patsy softly.

"I can so get used to waking up like this." Patsy said whilst rubbing her eyes and lent in again to kiss Delia's nose.

She got up and began to get herself dressed, ready for the day and deliveries ahead. "Come on, we're expected for breakfast at Nonnatus and we'd best not keep them waiting!"

Delia rolled over, "what time is it?"

"Half five, why?"

Delia lent up on the bed and got onto her knees, once Patsy had walked past the bottom of the bed towards the dresser, Delia grabbed her waist and pulled her back into the bed, "we have an hour and a half until we have to be there, so let's just..." She trailed off as she went straight for Patsy's lips. Like a gravitational pull.


End file.
